Victor Billot
New Zealand writer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Victor Philip Billot (born 1972) is a New Zealand writer, unionist and politician. He is the leader of the Alliance party.
Victor Billot | |
|---|---|
Billot in 2008 | |
| Leader of the Alliance | |
| Assumed office 14 February 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Role vacant |
| In office 21 October 2007 – April 2008 Serving with Kay Murray | |
| Preceded by | Paul Piesse & Len Richards |
| Succeeded by | Andrew McKenzie |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1972 (age 53–54) Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Party | |
| Profession | Trade unionist |
Early life
Billot was born in 1972 in Dunedin and was raised in Warrington.[1][2][3] He attended the University of Otago, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1994.[3][4] He was co-editor of the Otago University Students' Association magazine Critic Te Ārohi in 1995, and a performer in the bands Alpha Plan,[5] Age of Dog[6] and Das Phaedrus.[7]
NewLabour and the Alliance Party
Billot was a founding member of the NewLabour Party, which was set up in 1989 by Jim Anderton.[8] In 1991, NewLabour was one of four parties to form the Alliance political party.
He was a candidate for the Alliance in 2005 (ranked 8 on the party list), 2008 (3), and 2011 (6), contesting the Dunedin North electorate each time.[9][10][11] In 2008, he was berated by the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, at a University of Otago campaign stop for the perceived faults of the National Party when she mistook him for a supporter of that party.[12]
At the party's 2006 conference, held in Wellington, no co-leaders were elected. Instead the party decided to concentrate on internal reorganisation; Billot was elected president. At the 2007 national conference, held in Dunedin, two co-leaders were elected, Billot and Kay Murray, with Paul Piesse returning to his former role as Party President. Billot was co-leader for one year.[13]
In 2011 it was reported Dunedin South MP Clare Curran had repeatedly invited Billot to join the New Zealand Labour Party.[14]
He stepped down from his role as spokesman and occasional co-leader of the Alliance Party in March 2014.[15] He continued to engage in left wing activism in Dunedin, campaigning against cuts to postal services in 2015.[16]
After a period as the party president, Billot was re-elected Alliance Party leader in February 2026.[17] He will contest the Dunedin electorate at the 2026 general election.[1] In June 2026, the Maritime Union of New Zealand national council unanimously voted to affiliate to the Alliance under Billot's leadership. He called it a "gamechanger" for that year's election and beyond for "advancing an uncompromising working class voice in New Zealand politics".[18]
Professional life
Billot was the national communications officer for the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) between 2003 and 2016.[19] In January 2017 he began working as publicist for the Otago University Press.[20] By January 2022 Billot had returned to his previous role at MUNZ.[21]
From 2020 to 2025 he wrote a weekly poetry column for Newsroom.[22]
Publications
Billot has published three poetry collections:
- 2014: Mad Skillz For The Demon Operators[23]
- 2015: Machine Language[24]
- 2017: Ambient Terror[25]
- 2021: The Sets[26]
His work has also appeared in Australian and New Zealand literary journals including Cordite,[27] Meniscus,[28] Minarets[29] and Takahē.[30]
Recordings
Billot has recorded several albums since the early 1990s with music groups in addition to a solo album, including:
- 1996: City of Bastards[31] by Alpha Plan
- 2002: Plutocracy by Victor Billot
- 2016: Machine Language by Alpha Plan
